Joyous families end long vigil at Chile's "Camp Hope"

COPIAPO, Chile, Oct 14 (Reuters) - Ending what many felt
was a spiritual mission, the families of Chile's 33 rescued
miners on Thursday packed up the tents they have lived in for
the past two months and prepared for life outside the intense
fellowship of "Camp Hope".

They descended on the barren land around the San Jose mine
after it collapsed on Aug. 5, scared that all the miners were
dead but refusing to give up. Many of the relatives are deeply
religious and prayed almost around the clock for their men.

Now that the extraordinary rescue operation is over, they
began gathering up their clothes, sheets, pots and plates on
Thursday and headed off, leaving behind piles of trash and
ragged signs with photos of the miners and messages of
support.

Alfonso Avalos, whose only two sons Florencio and Renan
were among those trapped for 69 days, sipped tea around a
smoldering campfire not far from the rescue shaft where the men
emerged in joyous scenes on Wednesday. [ID:nN14104048]

He was planning to drop by the hospital in the town of
Copiapo later on Thursday to pick up his sons, and then make
the long trek home to the south of Chile with nearly three
dozen family members.

"We came here to get them and we want to go back home all
together," he said.
Continued...